Air sampling system and flow calibration system for same

ABSTRACT

An air sampling system and a calibration system therefor are disclosed for use therewith in order to provide air sampling for, for example, environmental tobacco smoke aerosol in a portable personal air sampling system. The air sampling system utilizes a sampler head having a manifold block which allows for the collection of air for studying both the particulate and vapor phases of environmental tobacco smoke aerosol using only a single pump. An air flow calibrating system is utilized to measure and calibrate the air flowing through the two collection devices used in connection with the manifold block in which the air flow through the two sampling assemblies is simultaneously read out.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to atmospheric or air samplingsystems. More particulately, the present invention relates to portableair sampling systems for personal and area use and apparatus forcalibrating such systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Atmospheric air, either indoors or outdoors, contains gaseous materialand particulate matter. For example, air which is inhaled by humanbeings typically includes gases such as nitrogen, oxygen and carbondioxide; water vapor, and particulate material which has dust, sporesand the like.

A great deal of interest has developed in studying the nature,characteristics and quality of environmental air. In particular, thereis great interest on the part of the Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) in studying indoor air quality. The quality of airin indoor settings, such as "white collar" office environments, istypically the subject of adverse claims by workers. There is also a gooddeal of interest in the study of indoor settings in homes as well as inother enclosed areas. The study of the indoor air quality in suchsettings can provide valuable information with regard to providing theeffective ventilation and/or air circulation or recirculation withinthose enclosed areas. Such studies can also allow for the analysis ofany contaminants found within those indoor environments so that stepsmay be taken to minimize such undesirable materials in order to improvethe air quality.

Generally speaking, then, it is desirable to study environmental air inindustrial areas such as factories, chemical plants and warehouses; inagricultural areas such as barns and silos; in social areas such ashotels, restaurants, bars, auditoriums and stores; and in personal areassuch as homes and apartments and during travel. In particular, it isdesirable to sample and analyze environmental air in such indoor spacesfor asbestos fibers, dust, volatile organic compounds, pollen, coaldust, gasoline or diesel engine exhaust, smoke, wood stove exhaust ormetal ions or material such as lead, beryllium, uranium, cadmium, zincor selenium.

It is desirable to collect and analyze environmental atmospheric samplesin a particular setting or settings over a fairly long period of time,such as a 24 hour period. However, for a realistic and representativeassessment of the environmental air being sampled, it is useful tosample the particulate and vapor phases of the, for example,environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) aerosol, or other environmentalmaterial. Furthermore, it is desirable to utilize equipment which userscan move along with them in different environments which the users mayencounter during, for example, an 18-24 hour period. In order to beuseful then, the sampling and collection system for environmental airsamples should involve quiet, small and portable equipment such that itdoes not disturb the user while at the same time it dutifully monitorsthe user's environment. An air sampling system, such as the onedisclosed herein, meets such requirements and provides a realistic andrepresentative assessment of the particular indoor settings in which itis used because it is relatively unobtrusive and does not greatly affecthuman behavior during the sample collection periods.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a portable, air sampling systemwhich is capable of simultaneously monitoring both the particulate andvapor phases of, for example, ETS aerosol and which is capable of beingeasily moved by the user to other environments and used over acontinuous period of time during which the sampling occurs. It is alsodesirable to utilize a simple yet effective system for calibrating suchan air sampling system in order to ensure the accuracy of the samplecollected by the air sampling system.

One approach to providing a portable air sampling device is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 4,786,472, which discloses a portable air sampling devicein the shape of a briefcase. The components contained within thebriefcase are capable of sampling air for analysis. For example, air isintroduced into the briefcase through inlet ports and that air can bemonitored for components of environmental tobacco smoke. Separate inletports are utilized to provide inlet air to a chemical collection devicesuch as a sorbent tube for collecting nicotine and a filter forcollecting respirable suspended particulate matter. In addition, achemical detector for monitoring carbon monoxide levels and provisionsfor monitoring the environmental temperature and barometric pressure arealso provided. Data is stored on a microcomputer within the briefcasefor later transfer to a computer for data analysis.

Unlike the present invention, the device set forth in U.S. Pat. No.4,786,472 requires the use of two pumps, one for each separateparticulate and vapor phase collection and sampling system. The presentinvention, on the other hand, utilizes a single pump and collects boththe particulate and vapor phases of the environmental tobacco smokeaerosol through a single manifold. Thus, the air sampling system of thepresent invention is very small and is therefore more easily transportedby the user from place to place within his personal environment. Inaddition, the present system will run for longer time periods than thatdiscussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,472. A novel system for calibrating theair sampling system of the present invention is also provided.

Another approach to a portable air sampler is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,569,235, which discloses a sequential air sampler assembled within aportable industrial housing which allows the air sampler to operate byeither battery or line power. The system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,569,235 utilizes a plurality of components through which air samplesare sequentially drawn utilizing a single pump and a flow rate controlsystem. However, the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,235, byutilizing a single vacuum pump, does not simultaneously sampleenvironmental air for particulate and vapor phases of environmentaltobacco smoke aerosol, nor is that system "portable", in other than theindustrial sense of that word.

Yet another approach to an air sampling device which is used forsampling tobacco smoke in public places is disclosed in the Apr. 17,1975 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 292, pages844-845, in an article entitled "Concentrations of Nicotine and TobaccoSmoke in Public Places", by Hinds et al. That article discloses, in FIG.1, a sampling system which utilizes a pump which is used to draw airthrough a filter and is directed to the measurement of only theparticulate phase of tobacco smoke. While disclosing a portable airsampling system, the sampling system of Hinds et al. is not capable ofsimultaneously collecting particulate and vapor phase samples ofenvironmental tobacco smoke aerosol.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that there still existsa need in the art for a portable air sampling system which is capable ofsimultaneously collecting air samples for particulate and vapor phasesof environmental tobacco smoke aerosol in a simple and precise manner inorder to accurately sample the personal or other environment inhabitedby a human user. It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention toprovide an air sampling system for a user for sampling the particulateand vapor phases of environmental tobacco smoke aerosol in such a mannerthat only a single pump is necessary and which has particularapplication for use as a personal area environment testing system.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide an airsampling system as aforementioned having simple and reliable componentswhich operate in an unobtrusive manner and are not costly.

Still more particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide anair sampling system which can be readily and accurately calibrated usinga calibration system in a simple and effective manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an air samplingsystem which utilizes easy to assemble components and which is easy forthe user to operate.

Briefly described, these and other objects of the invention areaccomplished by providing a sampler head having a manifold that enablesthe use of two sampling components in parallel; a filter cassetteassembly and a sorbent tube. The use of two such sampling components inparallel allows the collection of both a filter and sorbent tube sampleon the same manifold using a single pump. The total air sample flowthrough the manifold is set on the air pump while a portion of the flowbetween the two collection devices is controlled by an orifice in themanifold assembly. The manifold assembly is designed to utilize tworeadily available and commonly used sample collection devices whichallow for the simultaneous collection of samples of both the particulateand vapor phases of environmental tobacco smoke aerosol.

A flow measuring system is also disclosed which includes mass flowmeters for direct simultaneous flow readings from both the sorbent tubeand filter assembly. It also provides for measuring and calibrating theair flow through the filter cassette with the cyclone assembly in place.This feature is advantageous since use of the cyclone assembly changesthe air flow rate through the filter assembly. Thus, the use of such afilter flow rate measuring system readily allows an accurate flowmeasurement through the filter cassette.

A data logging system is also provided which includes a personalcomputer-based software package and a bar code scanning system thatenables the direct entry of system information on a sample-by-samplebasis with a fast throughput time and minimal opportunity for error. Thesystem creates records of outgoing sampling materials and stores them ina database along with relevant sampling information, such as pump flowrates, pump and battery identification numbers, etc. The record is thenautomatically retrieved to enable appending the additional informationfor incoming sampling materials.

With the foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of theinvention that will become hereinafter apparent, the nature of theinvention may be more clearly understood by reference to the followingdetailed description of the invention, the appended claims and to theseveral views illustrated in the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is schematic diagram of the air sampling system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a combined perspective and schematic view of the calibrationand data collection system used in collaboration with the air samplingsystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial diagram of the components which form the samplerhead used with the air sampling system of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the operation of thedata collection system utilized with the air sampling system of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in which like elements are designated bylike reference numbers throughout, there is shown in FIG. 1 a schematicdiagram of the air sampling system of the present invention whichutilizes a box 100, such as an Underwater Kinetics Dry Box Model 409,available from Underwater Kinetics of San Marcos, Calif. The boxenclosure 100 utilizes a foam material which is custom-plucked toenclose the components of the air sampling system which are contained inthe box 100. The box enclosure 100 is provided with a shoulder strap 112for suspending the box 100 from the body of a user, in the case ofpersonal and environmental monitoring. Such methodology using the airsampling system of the present invention is currently required by OSHA.For general environmental air monitoring, it is not necessary to utilizethe shoulder strap 112, or the strap may be used to locate the samplerover a chair back or on a door knob.

The custom-plucked material utilized in the box enclosure 100 iscustom-plucked to enclose a pump 102, one or more batteries 104, 106, atimer assembly 108, a series pressure switch 114 and various tubing andelectrical wiring. The box enclosure 100 serves two purposes. The firstis to contain all of the materials, wiring, tubing and componentsdiscussed above. The second purpose of the enclosure 100 is to reducethe noise of the pump 102. The box enclosure 100 is provided withspecial latches and seals (not shown) for underwater use which resultsin a substantial soundproofing of the pump 102.

The pump 102 may preferably be a Model No. 224-50 "Special" pumpavailable from SKC, Inc. of Eighty Four, Pa. Such a pump utilizes aplastic exhaust fitting in the pump case to muffle the noise generatedby the pump in order to reduce the sound level of the pump during itsoperation. Thus, the new sampling system of the present invention may beutilized in, for example, a "white collar" office environment as well asin a user's home without generating any substantial noise which maydisturb the user.

One or more batteries 104, 106, are electrically connected to the pump102 in order to provide enough energy to continuously operate the pump102 for at least 18 hours. If a shorter sampling time is desired, only asingle one of the batteries 104, 106 could be utilized, which shouldoperate a single battery pump, such as an SKC Model 224-50, forapproximately 10-12 hours. The preferred battery configuration utilizedfor the pump 102 can be accomplished utilizing the battery jumper cablefor the Model 224-50 pump, SKC Model No. 224-30-03 "Special".

A timer assembly 108, which may preferably be a 7-digit LCD elapsedtimer, Model No. B121.01A, available from IVO Industries, Inc. ofEatontown, N.J. is utilized together with a series pressure switch 114to record the time in operation of the pump 102, and therefore of theair sampling system of the present invention. The series pressureswitch, which may be a Model No. PSF 101, is available from WorldMagnetics Co. of Traverse City, Mich. The series pressure switch 114 isplaced between the pump 102 and the exit of the tubing 110 whichconnects the sampler head 120 through the box enclosure 100 and to thepump 102.

A length of coiled tubing 110 is used to connect the sampler head 120 tothe series pressure switch 114 and allows the user to place the samplerhead 120 in a convenient sampling location without fear of catching thetubing 110 on an obstruction.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a combination perspective andschematic diagram of the flow measuring system utilized to calibrate theair sampling system of the present invention. The air calibration systemof FIG. 2 utilizes a fixture 200 which uses a base 202 to which twovertical supports 204 and 206 are fixedly attached perpendicular to thebase 202. The top portion 208 is removably secured to the ends of thevertical supports 204, 206 in such a manner that the top portion 208 issubstantially parallel to the base portion 202.

The top portion 208 includes a knob 210 which is connected to a threadedshaft 212 which is threaded through and secured in a hole 213 in the topportion 208 of the fixture 200. A hollow tube 214 is secured at one endwithin the base 202 of the fixture 200. The opposite end of the hollowtube 214 utilizes an o-ring 216 which presses against the sampler head120 which will be described hereinafter.

In order to calibrate the sampler head 120 of the present invention, theair flow through the sampler head 120 is tested both before the userutilizes the air sampling system of the present invention as well asafter user has operated the air flow system of the present invention fora predetermined period of time. In order to utilize the air flowcalibrating system of the present invention, the sampler head 120 isplaced between the end of the threaded rod portion 212 of the knob 210and the o-ring 216 of the hollow tube 214. The knob 210 is then rotateduntil the bottom of the filter cassette 304 fits snugly against theo-ring 216. A piece of tubing 218 is then connected between the outletof the sorbent tube 302 and a sorbent flow meter 222. The sorbent flowmeter 222 may preferably be a flow meter available from SierraInstruments, Monterrey, Calif. as Model No. 821-1-(Air 1 SLM)-PS. Asecond piece of tubing 220 is connected at one end to the base 202. Thebase 202 has a drilled out passageway 203 which connects to the hollowtube 214. The second piece of tubing 220 is connected at its other endto a second flow meter 224 which provides flow information for thefilter. The flow meter 224 may preferably be a Model No. 821-1-(Air 5SLM)-PS, also available from Sierra Instruments.

The data output from the flow meters 222, 224 may be connected to aserial port of a microcomputer 226. The microcomputer 226 may preferablybe an IBM or compatible personal computer having a microprocessor of theX86 family. For example, the microcomputer 226 may be a portablecomputer which utilizes a microprocessor of the 386 family or higherconfiguration with 4 megabytes of RAM memory and an appropriate sizehard disk drive. Numerous such portable computers are commerciallyavailable and it is believed that no further discussion is necessary toenable one of ordinary skill in the art to select a suitable personalcomputer for use with the flow calibrating system of the presentinvention.

In order to easily provide for the input of data concerning the airsampling system components into the microcomputer 226, a bar code wand228 may also be connected to the microcomputer 226. The bar code wand228 can be utilized, in combination with unique bar codes on the pump102, batteries 104, 106, filter cassette 304 and sorbent tube 302, aswell as other components, to input information concerning thosecomponents into the microcomputer 226, as will be described further inconnection with FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a pictorial diagram ofcomponents which form the sampler head 120. The sampler head 120includes a manifold block 306 which may preferably be made fromaluminum, or which can alternatively be made from PLEXIGLASSthermoplastic material or any other suitable material. The manifoldblock 306 contains a main air passageway 308 to which a fitting 314 isconnected. The tubing 110 which is connected to the pump 102 isconnected to the sampler head 120 by means of the fitting 314. Thefitting 314 may preferably consist of a swivel connector with barbedhose fitting.

The main air passageway 308 is connected by means of two additionalpassageways 310 and 312 to the filter cassette 304 and to the sorbenttube 302. Because the filter passageway 310 and the sorbent passageway312 are constructed in parallel, both of the sampling components,namely, the filter cassette assembly 304 and the sorbent tube 302, areconnected in parallel to the pump 102, by means of the fitting 314 andthe tubing 110. That allows the air sampling system of the presentinvention to collect both the filter and sorbent tube samples using asingle manifold 306 and a single pump 102. An orifice 320 in themanifold assembly 306 is utilized to apportion the air flow created bythe pump 102 between the filter cassette 304 and the sorbent tube 302.It acts in concert with an orifice 356 which connects the sorbent tube302 to the manifold assembly 306. Alternatively, either or both of theorifices 320 and 356 can be replaced with adjustable needle valves whichcontrol the air flows. The total air flow through the manifold assembly306 is preferably 2.2 liters per minute (1.7 LPM through the filterassembly 304 and 0.5 LPM through the sorbent tube 302) and is set byadjusting the air pump 102. The air sampling system of the presentinvention is therefore able to simultaneously collect the air samplescontaining particulate and vapor phases of environmental tobacco smokeaerosol.

The filter cassette 304 may preferably be a plastic filter cassettewhich is commercially available as Model No. M0003700 from MilliporeCorporation of Bedford, Mass. It is designed to secure a circular 37 mmdiameter FLUOROPORE film membrane filter which is apolytetrafluoroethylene film having a pore size of 1 micrometer. Such afilter is available from Millipore Corporation as Model No. FALP03700.

The outlet port 322 of the filter cassette assembly 304 is placed over aconically-shaped portion of an orifice fitting 320. The orifice fitting320 is threated into the filter air passageway 310 and sealed with ano-ring (not shown). Two aluminum tubes 316, 318 are also threaded intothe manifold block 306. As discussed above, the filter 326 is containedwithin the filter cassette assembly 304 in a known manner.

A second conically-shaped orifice member 328, having two male luers ateither end, is utilized to provide an air flow between the cycloneassembly 300 which is used to secure the cassette assembly 304 to themanifold 306 and the inlet port 324 of the filter cassette assembly 304.One luer of the orifice member 328 is placed into the input port 324 ofthe cassette filter assembly 304 and then the other luer of the orificemember 328 is secured into an outlet port 330 of the cyclone assembly300. The cyclone assembly 300, which functions to separate particles ofrespirable size from the total particulate matter which would otherwiseenter the filter cassette assembly 304, is available from Sensidyne Inc.of Clearwater, Fla., as part No. 2418584-0001. It is used to captureparticles of size approximately greater than or equal to 3.5micrometers, thus allowing respirable particles smaller than a knownsize to be passed to the filter 326.

The cyclone assembly 300 is carried by a plate 332 which has two thumbscrews 336, 338 which are designed to screw into the opposite ends ofthe aluminum tubes 316, 318 which are not secured to the manifold block306. The cyclone assembly 300 also includes a cyclone cylinder 334 and atop portion 340, of which the outlet 330 forms a part. The top portion340 of the cyclone assembly 300 includes a notch 344 which contacts apin 342 which is formed as a perpendicular element of the mounting plate332 such that the cylinder 334 is rotatably secured to the plate 332.Once the thumb screws 336 and 338 are secured within their respectivetubes 316 and 318, the filter cassette assembly 304 is fixedly securedto the manifold block 306.

A portion of the air drawn through the manifold assembly 306 is drawnthrough the cyclone cylinder 334, through the element 328, into thefilter cassette assembly 304, through the filter 326, through theorifice element 320, through the filter passageway 310 and then throughthe main air passageway 308.

The sorbent tube holder 350, which may be formed, for example, fromPLEXIGLASS thermoplastic material or other suitable material, is used tohold the sorbent tube 302. The tube holder 350 may preferably be usedwith a DELRIN thermoplastic material plug 352 with a TEFLON fluorocarbonmaterial insert 353 at its bottom and an aluminum plug 354 at its topfor securing the sorbent tube 302 within the tube holder 350. An o-ring357 may be used between the TEFLON fluorocarbon material insert 353, thepassageway 355 and the sorbent tube 302. An o-ring (not shown) is alsoused in the aluminum plug 354 for the same purpose. Each of the DELRINthermoplastic material and aluminum plugs 352 and 354 include threadswhich thread into respective threading portions on the top and bottom ofthe tube holder 350. A threaded nipple orifice 356 is used to connectthe aluminum plug 354 to the sorbent air passageway 312. The sorbent airpassageway 312 utilizes threads for that purpose, in a manner similar tothe threads utilized to secure the orifice element 320 into the filterair passageway 310. Each of the aluminum and DELRIN thermoplasticmaterial plugs 354, 352 includes an air passageway 355, or TEFLONfluorocarbon material insert 353 such that air is drawn in through theTEFLON fluorocarbon material insert 353 in the DELRIN thermoplasticmaterial plug 352, through the sorbent tube 302, out through the airpassageway 355 in the aluminum plug 354, through the nipple orifice 356and then into the sorbent air passageway 312. Air leaving the sorbentair passageway 312 is drawn into the main air passageway 308 thenultimately to the pump 102.

The sorbent tube 302 may preferably be a Model No. 226-93 XAD-4 SorbentTube available from SKC, Inc. That sorbent tube, in addition tocapturing nicotine, also captures 3-ethenylpyridine and myosmine. Theapparatus of the present invention is also used to measure for theconcentrations of those aerosol compounds in the sampled environment, inaddition to nicotine. Similar sorbent tubes are available for collectinghalogen containing chemicals such a chlorobenzene, carbon tetrachloride,bromoform, ethyl bromide, chloroprene and epichlorohydrin; and otherorganic chemicals such as benzene, acrylonitrile, various alkanes,ethers and alcohols, aniline, napthalene, xylenes, carbon disulfide, andthe like. The present invention can obviously be used to measure theconcentrations of other compounds in the sampled environment, byutilizing a different sorbent tube.

FIG. 4 describes the steps performed by the data logging system utilizedwith the microcomputer 226 described in connection with FIG. 2. The datacan also be inputted manually. As shown in FIG. 4, the first step 400 isto collect the bar code information from the pump 102, the batteries104, 106, the filter cassette 304 and the sorbent tube 302. The outgoingpump flow rate data is then collected at step 402, using the apparatusshown in FIG. 2.

The data collected in steps 400 and 402 is then stored at step 404 in adatabase maintained on, for example, the hard drive of the microcomputer226. Alternatively, the data can be stored either in another form ofnon-volatile memory within the computer 226 or other memory of themicrocomputer 226. In that manner, records of the outgoing samplingmaterials are created and stored in the database together with therelevant sampling information, such as outgoing flow rate data.

Once the air sampling system of the present invention has been used tocollect the desired samples, it is returned to a measuring station wherethe sampler head 120 is again placed in the fixture 200 and connected asshown in FIG. 2. The incoming flow rate data and elapsed time data arethen collected at step 406, in a manner as described in connection withsteps 400 and 402. At step 408, the correct records which correspond tothe incoming pump, battery, filter and sorbent identification numbersare automatically retrieved and combined with the incoming flow ratedata and other data, such as time and date such information wasrecorded. The desired reports can then be displayed at step 410.

As will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art, once such datahas been collected, various reports can be generated therefrom. Inaddition, the information contained within the database can bedownloaded into ASCII files in a comma-delimited file format for easyincorporation into commonly used database and spreadsheet programs, suchas EXCEL brand spreadsheet, which is available from MicrosoftCorporation of Redmond, Wash. and Lotus 1-2-3 brand spreadsheet,available from Lotus Development Corporation of Cambridge, Mass.

As will also be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, theelapsed time measured by the timer 108 may be inputted into themicrocomputer 226 when the appropriate data screen is displayed as wellas the flow rate of the pump 102, in order to calculate theconcentrations of the samples obtained by the air sampling system of thepresent invention. While the flow rate of the pump is calibrated bothbefore and after the sampling system is used to collect the samples, theaverage of the two calibrated flow rates of the pump 102 is utilized asthe pump flow rate value for calculating sample concentration.

Although certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention havebeen described herein, it should be apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention pertains that variations and modifications of thedescribed embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the inventionbe limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and theapplicable rules of law.

We claim:
 1. An environmental air sampling system for personal use by auser in an indoor area comprising:a pump for drawing indoor areaenvironmental air through at least two different sample collectionmeans; a timing system for recording an elapsed time of operation ofsaid pump; and a sampler head connected to said pump for holding said atleast two different sample collection means, said sampler headcomprising: a manifold block having a main air passageway fluidlyconnected to said pump and at least first and second parallel airpassageways fluidly connected to said main air passageway; and at leasttwo different sample collection means, each fluidly connected to one ofsaid at least first and second air passageways such that said pumpsimultaneously draws environmental air through said at least twodifferent sample collection means; and a calibration system connected toeach of said at least two different sample collection means forindependently generating at least two different signals representativeof air flow through each of said at least two different samplecollection means, said calibration system further including a system forstoring said at least two different signals.
 2. The air sampling systemof claim 1, wherein said one of said at least two different samplecollection means collects particulate matter samples.
 3. The airsampling system of claim 1, wherein said one of said at least twodifferent sample collection means collects chemical samples.
 4. The airsampling system of claim 1, wherein said system collects indoor airsamples of environmental tobacco smoke.
 5. The air sampling system ofclaim 1, further including a particulate removal means connected to oneof said at least two different sample collection means for filteringlarge particulate matter from said indoor area environmental air priorto said particulate matter reaching said one of said at least twodifferent sample collection means.
 6. The air sampling system of claim2, wherein said particulate matter samples are respirable suspendedparticulate matter including particulate matter from environmentaltobacco smoke.
 7. The air sampling system of claim 3, wherein saidchemical samples are nicotine.
 8. An environmental air sampling systemfor personal use by a user in an area comprising:a pump for drawing areaenvironmental air through at least two different sample collectionmeans; a timing system for recording an elapsed time of operation ofsaid pump; a sampler head connected to said pump for holding said atleast two sample collection means, said sampler head comprising: amanifold block having a main air passageway fluidly connected to saidpump and at least first and second parallel air passageways fluidlyconnected to said main air passageway; and at least two different samplecollection means, each fixedly connected to one of said at least firstand second air passageways such that said pump simultaneously draws airthrough said at least two different sample collection means; and acalibration system connected to each of said at least two differentsample collection means for independently generating at least twodifferent signals representative of air flow through each of said atleast two different sample collection means, said calibration systemfurther including a system for storing said at least two differentsignals.
 9. The air sampling system of claim 8, wherein said one of saidat least two different sample collection means collects particulatematter samples.
 10. The air sampling system of claim 8, wherein said oneof said at least two different sample collection means collects chemicalsamples.
 11. The air sampling system of claim 8, wherein said systemcollects indoor air samples of environmental tobacco smoke.
 12. The airsampling system of claim 8, further including a particulate removalmeans connected to one of said at least two different sample collectionmeans for filtering large particulate matter from said areaenvironmental air prior to said particulate matter reaching said one ofsaid at least two different sample collection means.
 13. The airsampling system of claim 9, wherein said particulate matter samples arerespirable suspended particulate matter from environmental tobaccosmoke.
 14. The air sampling system of claim 10, wherein said chemicalsamples are nicotine.